Distress signal



Dec. 30, 1924.

. 1,521,567, M. G. STANDLEY ET AL DISTRESS SIGNAL Fi i d'March 24, 1921 Patented Dee; 3c, 1924,.

MW so iSiIi-AT 5 .MEREDITH G. ;STANDLEY,- or omornnnrr, AND ERNEST WHITE, oeinnnonnonro; Y-SAID WHITE nssrenoa TO sern STAN'DLEY.

:orsrenss sterner...

.Appli cationifiled Marchfl, 1921. Serial No. $5,237.

To all whom it may camera:

B it. kn w ha eLMEsE I G- N ama ,ERNESTIWHITE, citizens of the United Statespand residing at Cincinnati, iri-the county of Hamilton, State of Ohio, imators, in'thecounty of Clermont and Stateof Ohio, respectively, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Distress Signals, of which the following specification is' a full disclosure' 7 inventio relates to alarm devices, and is particularly adaptedfor use as a neans for inspiring fear, and of stimulating flight, among bandits, sneak-thieves, cracks- ,lnen or other persons of malevolent intent.

In' the use of this device the intention is to frighten, the offenders, rather than to causeQblood-shed or loss of life to eitheror both parties, which frequently results from an attempteduseof lire-arms by those atk I a placed, as shown, their firing ends engaging rItis well known that among those addicted: to larceny, that the object isQnot to mure ao t q ipplean i o y due to h re i ta o hei ri t s and es n fearpf apprehension by the authorities that theytur'n tolthe use of firearms.

Ah bbi ct f 9 1 i ventio is therefore, to les e th Peseta e idn or ea h to fthos W .ar fettaskedr by Providing o them, protection in the form of anfalarm, or distress si m1, of compactform ,and of "a size to e, conveniently carriedin the hand,which canbefmechanically or chemically operate d jto cause the discharge of a numloe r" of blank cartridges, placed there- :within, The nature of this signal and the manner bras ,use precludes the probability [of a dangerous attack by the robber, for he ,is,. immediately aware that there is no attempt -on the part of hisvictim to injure him or to resist, him. Y .Other objects and certainadvantages will appear inf 'the" escriptionof'the drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which drawing? Figi l is an enlarged interior front face View ofQthis'improved distress signal, the

' cover plate having been removed.

"Fig-2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Fig}. v Fig.3 is a rear, face view, the-cover plate having been-removed. -"-'Fig-.- 4 a 'det ail plan of the safety catch. thepush pin being shown in section.

is a perspective view of one of the percussion and ignit on caps.

The body of this device is of circular disk-like, magazine formation, is provided 1n 1ts front face wltha c1rcu1ar'cav ty2, for

housing the firing mechanism, Wit-ha rectangular, circumferential groove Q3 in its rear face 'for the reception and housing of the fuse, and with ajfseries ofcircular car tridgereceiving openings 6 extending trans-' versely through the body, a portion of each opening cutting the bottom .5 of the, groove cartridges 7 placed within the said openings to project into the; groove andagainst the number and are designed to receive an equal number of blank cartridges, the same being the rear of the body 1. Each-cartridge is pierced to provide. an opening 12, projectwithin the groove 5, and incontact with ainotch portion 1; 1, of the, fuseil'O, see Fig. This piercing ofthe cartridge and notching of the. fuse insures intimate conl sto th p Wd gramm 1 .r su tin s nition and subsequentfldischarge of the blank cartridge's when the fuse is 'lighted.

The fuse is 'placed within,theigroove, as shown, with itsnotched portions ll-eonseciv 'tively engaged. againstthe respective openings 12,. of the series of blank cartridges. The free end of the fuse isthen passed of the device, and thence across the cavity 2' and over and against the outer endsvv of the i se l 6 p iss ing outward y from the bottom of the cavity 2. These anvils, 16 have the form of rectangular posts, have by the diametrical armsof a rotating spring actuated hammer 19 thelhub of WhlOl'l is 'traversedby the post 20, aboutwhich the hammer rotates. A torsion spring 21, for actuatingthe hammer 19, has one ,of its terann ls. on cted with the a po 2 ,1en gi 3, to allow 'segmental'portions ofthe blankthrough an opening 15 to the forward face I of the hammer 19 as shown.

7 the rapidly burning fuse will consecutively ignite and discharge the blank cartridges.

A plug'of asbestos 25 is inserted between the terminal of the fuse and that portion of the fuse which passes through the opening 15, to insure consecutive firing of the cartridges .in one direction only.

A trigger 30 normally holds the hammer 19 in set posit-ion, with its spring 21 under tension. This trigger is pivoted at 31, and has a hook 32 at one extremity, for engagement over the trigger arm. A. leaf spring 33 forces the hook into engaging position.

The opposite extremity 34, of the trigger, is engaged by the broad end 35, of asliding pin 36, traversing a radial opening 37, of the body 1, the said pin projecting beyond the outer periphery of the body, and being provided with a finger disk 39. The pin 36 is notched at 40 and these notches are engaged by the edges of a slot 42, of a safety latch 41, slidingly held against the outer face of the body 1 by a screw 43, traversing said slot 42. a The slot 42 is enlarged at 44, (see 'Fig. 4) and when the safety latch is thrown to the left, the edges of the slot are disengaged from the notches .40, to allow a depression ofthe pin 36, and subsequent re lease of the hammer 19.

The body 1. isprovided at its peripheral corner with a notch 50, for the reception of aperforated spacing annulus 51. The perforations permit the escape of gases, and the free propagation of sound waves therethrough. Front and back covers, and 56 respectively, form closures for the firing mechanism compartment and for the fuse and cartridge compartment. The front cover 55 is traversed by the outer end of the post 20, the end of which is flared to form a rivet head 20*, to fasten said front cover against the annulus 51. The rear cover 56 is held against the body. 1, by suitable screws 60. the heads of tlieblank cartridges resting against the inner face of saidcover.

This alarm device is simple in operation and of convenient size to be carried and con vcealed in the hand. In use, the safety latch is thrown off, the hammer released by pressure upon the pm 36, to fire thecaps 18, and ignite the quick fuse 10, immediately after Which the device is thrown to the ground,

where the consecutive firing of the blank provided with a series of detonation. Gllaln;

here, a fuse channel within said casing in connection with. each chamber, a trip hammer within said casing for exploding a cap to ignite a fuse within said fuse channel, and a means extending to the exterior of the casing to release said trip hammer.

2. In a distress signal, a disk-like body traversed by a row of chambers, adapted to receive a plurality of blank cartridges, the casing of each cartridge having a perforation adjacent its closed end, a groove in said body surrounding said chambers, toward and into which project said perforations, a fuse having a plurality of inwardly facing notches, the apex of each notch contacting a projecting portion of a corresponding cartridge and perforation therein, and means for igniting said fuse to consecutively explode said cartridges. p

3. In a distress signal, a disk-like body traversed by a row of chambers, adapted to receive and house a plurality of blank cartridges, the casing of each cartridge having a perforation adjacent its closed end, a groove in said body surrounding said chambers, toward and into which project said perforations, a fuse having a plurality of inwardly facing notches, the apex of each notch contacting a projecting portion of a corresponding cartridge and perforation therein, and means for igniting said fuse to consecutively explode said cartridges, said means comprising a double. faced spring actuated hammer, adapted tofire percussion caps held by stationary anvils, against which anvils the terminal portion. of said fuse is held, a catch adapted to hold said-hammer in set condition, and a sliding pin coacting to operate said catch to release said hammer.

4. In a distress signal, a disk-like body providing a row of cartridge receivingchambers, adapted to house a plurality of blank cartridges, the casing of each cartridge being perforated adjacent its closed end; a groove in said body surrounding said chambers, toward and into which. project said perforations, a fuse having-a plurality of inwardly facing notches, theapex of each notch contacting a projecting portion of a corresponding cartridge and perforation therein, means for igniting said fuse, and a perforated closure adjacent to and surrounding the muzzle ends. of said cartridges, to permit free escape of gases, and free propagation of sound waves therethrough.

5. In a distress signal, a disk casing interiorly provided with an annular row of detonation chambers, each chamber adapted to receive a cartridge ignitable by a fuse, a fuse channel connecting with said char hers; an oscillating, spring-tensioned trip In witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe hammer mounted centrally Within the caspur nemes, as attested by the two SllbSCIlb- 10 ing, for exploding a cap to ignite a fuse mg Witnesses.

Within said fuse channel, means for hold- MEREDITH G. STANDLEY. ing said hammer in a; cocked position, and ERNEST WHITE.

a trip rod accessible exterior-1y of the cas- Witnesses:

ing for tripping said hammer-holding L. A. BECK,

means, for releasing said hammer. J. C. JUNIUs. 

